OUT WITH THE OLD

Out with the old, and in with the new...

How did you kick off the New Year?

Me - I was sacked out with a stomach bug, a seemingly inevitable "benefit" of large family gatherings.  I thought my friend Clorox had helped Mom escape the bug, but then dark rumblings began deep within the caves of Mount Doom.  The evil was spreading.

Thankfully, the darkness passed quickly.  (That was a pun, but you wouldn't know, would you, unless you'd been here?)  The gurgling and burbles subsided.  I missed a couple of opportunities to enjoy fellowship with friends over the holiday, but, no, I didn't miss out on ALL the fun...

Here are a few snapshots from January 1, 2013, at the Kendall house:

Card games around the kitchen table in the afternoon.

Beautiful young women and a couple of good-looking young men camped out in front of the fireplace, lazily talking about life and family and school and holiday adventures.

A crowded table at dinner time.

A very giggly bunch of young ladies working on dance steps in the living room, with Tom providing rhythm on an electric guitar.  The girls had to plug in a CD when Tom left...

...to go swimming in the pond with The Brothers.  How did this become an annual tradition - this craziness of jumping in the pond on New Year's Day?  They headed out into the dark armed with flashlights, towels, and coveralls.  We could hear their shouts and screams all the way back up at the house, when they hit the water.

So Helen started making hot chocolate, to help the guys knock the chill off.

Popcorn, home brew (can you say Homeschool science experiment?), and the Lord of the Rings.  Snuggled up with Steve on the loveseat, in front of a toasty fire.

Quite an excellent start to the new year, I think.  No more tummy rumbles, and I'm ready to start on that to-do list this morning.

Nate came downstairs to breakfast this morning, chuckling, "The pond is iced over!"

How awesome is that?!